A Kiss to Life

Chapter 5: Engaged

“Wow! You drew so well!” I can’t help but be amazed. I asked Noah if he could draw me a human body and he just didn’t draw it like how I expected it to be!

“Nakakatakot naman kung hindi ako maayos mag drawing tapos architecture ang kinuha kong course, no?” he said and I immediately rolled my eyes.

“You know what? It’s getting harder to compliment you. You always respond sarcastically,” I told him, putting his drawing in a folder, afraid it would get crumpled.

Noah laughed. “Kasi naman…” he paused. “Wala. Huwag na lang.”

I looked at him, squinting my eyes. “Ano?”

He shook his head. “Wala. Sige na, Pumasok ka na, baka ma-late ka na naman.”

“I was never late.”

“Yeah, Thanks to me,” he said, getting boastful now.

“Whatever, Noah,” I just said.

It has been two years since my parents hired Noah as my driver. It has also been two years since I started medical school and I am now in my third year of it. I can’t believe how fast time has flown!

“Anong oras kitang susunduin, mismam?” Noah asked as I opened the car door.

I shrugged. “Six. Then, we’ll go meet Kenzie and Orrin after.”

“Okay. Text mo na lang ako?”

“Yup. Kaya mag-aral ka muna habang wala ka pang ibang gagawin,” I told him.

A few months ago, Noah went back to his studies. Dad finally convinced him to enroll again and accept the scholarship from the organization he founded. And I’m so glad he accepted it and he finally continued his degree and I am so glad he did, because I really believe he’ll get so far if he pursues his profession.

“Yes, mismam!” he replied, saluting.

I just shook my head and went out of the car. I also waved at him before making my way inside my building.

“Ycca,” I called her upon seeing her inside the room. She’s always one of the first ones to get to school.

“Mari! God, I'm so excited for today!” she said, also jumping on her seat.

“I’m excited, too!” I answered, sitting beside her.

Tomorrow is the start of our clinical and luckily, our school lets us choose which school we want to apply to. And of course, I chose Saint Lawrence. My parents work there; my dad is the hospital director while my mom is the head nurse and it has been a dream for me to work with them.

“Do you think we can survive it?”

I arched my brow. This is the first time I saw her being doubtful. “Are you doubting yourself, Ms. Rebecca Isabel Ayala?”

Ycca rolled her eyes. “It’s the clinical, Ms. Claveria. It’s no longer books and video presentations; it’s the real deal now.”

I smiled and held her hand. “Ycca, we are nurses. Before we got here, we were nurses first. We’ve gone clinical back in nursing school, remember?” I reminded her.

Ycca’s smart but she’s anxious sometimes. I cannot blame her, though. I knew of the pressure she has on her shoulders. She was expected to always be on top; to always be the best. And honestly, that distracts her more.

“I know but this is different. We will do clinical now as doctors, not nurses,” she said.

I smiled more and held her shoulders. “Rebecca, we did your best studying starting from nursing school up to here. It’s normal to feel anxious, I feel that, too, but to let it overrule you, that would be your mistake,” I told her. “We will be together, so if you feel anxious, just call me. I will help you all the way, okay?”

“Thank you,” she said, nodding a bit and slowly.

“Now, breathe,” I told her and she did. “We will pass the clinical and graduate. We will get that M.D, okay?” I told her again and she nodded more. “Good.”

We talked more about what we should and not should do once we started our practical and when our professor came, everyone settled at their respective seats immediately.

Today’s meeting will be the announcement of our assigned hospital for the clinical and although I’m already assured that I will get into Saint Lawrence, I can’t still help but feel anxious.

“Saint Lawrence Medical Center,” our professor said, calling the names who’ll be going to Saint Lawrence. “Ayala, Claveria, Santos, Legaspi, and Arzadon. Do your best, okay? Saint Lawrence isn’t just a hospital, it’s an institution with great doctors and nurses in the country. Grab every knowledge you can get and be trained well, okay?” She then looks at each one of us in this classroom. “Same with the others, perform your best, everything is for your benefit, understand?”

“Yes, Dra!” we answered in chorus. “We understand!”

“Very well. Good luck, future M.Ds!” Dra. Delos Santos cheered. We thanked her and she said more reminders before she dismissed us.

“Do you have plans tonight?” Ycca asked as we gathered our things.

“Yeah. I’ll be meeting my best friends,” I answered.

“Kairus?” she asked, which shocked me a bit. I haven't spoken to Kairus for years now and I also haven't heard anything about him. I stopped hearing anything when it concerned him.

“How do you know him?” I asked.

“Well, you two were always together back in college and he’s quite popular since he’s part of the varsity,” she answered.

“I see,” I answered and nodded. “But I was not meeting him. I’m meeting my girl best friend and her boyfriend.”

“Mackenzie? She’s still with Orrin?” she said and I just smiled.

Ycca really knows a lot about me.

“Yeah, it’s Makenzie. And yes again, they are still together and getting married,” I replied. “We will be meeting tonight to talk about their wedding.”

“Really? Wow! True love, huh?” she commented.

“True love,” I concurred. “Why are you asking anyway?”

She shrugged. “There’s this new boutique nearby I want to check, I thought of asking you to come with me.”

“Oh…”

Ycca laughed and nudged me. “It’s fine. I just thought of it this morning, so it wasn’t really on the plan.”

“We can check it tomorrow,” I said and she laughed more.

“I don't think we'll still have energy to do that tomorrow,” she said.

“Right.”

“Maybe next time, I guess?”

“Yeah. Just text me,” I answered.

“Alright.”

We parted ways after we gathered all of our things. I headed straight to the parking lot. Noah’s already there since thirty minutes ago.

“Hi,” I greeted him as soon as I got in the car. I found him closing his book. “Do you have exams?”

He shook his head. “Wala naman. Ni-re-review ko lang. Di ko kasi ganong naintindihan kanina nung nag di-discuss yung prof ko.”

“Is it hard?” I asked. I checked the book and it’s about designing.

“Medyo,” he answered, started driving.

“Really? Umn. Do you want me to ask Orrin to help you understand this thoroughly?” I asked. Orrin’s an architect.

Smiling, Noah turned to me when the traffic lights turned red. “Hindi na. Saka nakakahiya.”

I rolled my eyes. “You two were like best friends. Tigilan mo ko sa nakakahiya mo na yan,” I said.

I don’t know but Noah’s like a magnet. He attracts everyone.

“Nakakahiya parin, no. Kaya ko naman. Inaantok lang kasi ako kanina kaya hindi ako makapag-isip ng ayos,” dahilan niya.

“And what made you sleepy?” I asked, arching my brow.

“Puyat lang kagabi.”

I squinted my eyes. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Huh?” he asked instead, glancing at me through the rear view mirror.

“I’m asking you if you have a girlfriend,” I repeated.

“Paano naman napunta dyan ang usapan?”

“Because you said, you're puyat. So, who made you up late last night?” I interrogated but he just laughed at me.

“Bakit, ikaw? Wala ka naman boyfriend, pero puyat ka rin palagi,” he answered back.

“It’s because I’m studying!” I replied.

Noah laughed more. “Ganun din ako,” he said. “Napupuyat din ako sa pag-aaral, mismam. Walang ibang pumupuyat sakin kun’di itong mga libro at plates ko.”

I snorted and said, “That’s good… I mean, you can have a girlfriend anytime you want. But of course, you still have to prioritize your studies.”

I saw him smirked. “Don’t worry, mismam. Priority ko talaga ang pag-aaral ko at wala pa akong balak mag ka-girlfriend, no,” he answered.

“Why?” I asked, curiously.

Noah’s handsome, I will not deny it. I am aware of how good-looking he is. He was mistaken as my boyfriend a lot of times in the past two years that he drives me everywhere.

“Kasi ‘di pa s’ya priority?”

“You’re not getting younger, Noah. You should have at least a girlfriend,” I told him.

He’s twenty-eight now.

“Grabe naman,” ani nya, still laughing. “Dalawang taon lang ang tanda ko sa’yo, no. Kaya, ikaw rin. Tumatanda ka na rin,” dagdag pa niya.

I tsk-ed. “My priority is to become a doctor,” I said.

“Well, my priority is to become an architect,” she answered back.

“Don’t you have, at least, someone you like? Crush?” I still asked.

I’m really curious now. I’ve known him for nearly three years and not one we have discussed about it. Not that this is necessary, but well… still I should know, right?

I saw how he squinted his eyes and when the traffic lights went red, he the. turned to face me. This was the last street before we reached the restaurant Kenzie to meet them at.

“Bakit mo tinatanong?” he asked, there's a smug expression on his face.

I shrugged. “I’m just curious. So?”

“Wala,” he answered and started driving again. He turned to our left and I already saw the restaurant. He parked when we reached the front of it.

“Oh, come on. Don’t bullshit me, Noah. I will not believe that,” I said, laughing a bit.

Scandalously, he turned to me wide-eyed. “Yung bibig mo,” ani niya.

“Ano?”

“Ang pasmado,” sagot nya.

"What?" I repeated.

"Grabe, hindi bagay sa'yo yang ganyan, huh. Gandang babae pero pasmado ang bibig," he said that made my cheeks heated.

"What the hell are you saying?" I asked, trying to hide my cheeks by putting my hand under my nose, covering my lips.

Noah shook his head. "Wala at para sa ikatatahimik mo. Wala akong crush," he said and when I was about to say something, he immediately raised his hand to stop me. "Tama na ang tanong at bumaba ka na. Baka kanina ka pa inaantay nila Ms. Kenzie."

Giving up, I took my bag and opened the car door. "You're coming with, Noah," I said when he didn't move from the driver's seat.

That's when he finally moved. We both got out of the car and walked to the restaurant side-by-side.

"Mari, here!" Kenzie called upon seeing us coming in. Buti na lang at kunti lang ang tao sa loob ng cafe.

"Hi," I greeted them. Kenzie stood and kissed me on my cheeks.

"I'm glad you're finally here!" She said.

"Did we make you wait too long?" I asked.

Orrin shook his head. "No. We just came here earlier than we agreed on, because this one is so excited."

Kenzir pouted and said, "Dapat ba hindi?"

And then, they started arguing.

I turned to Noah and shrugged, he shrugged, too. This scene isn't new to us. Even Noah got used to these two's quarrels.

"Let's order," I told Noah.

"Hindi naman ako gutom. Nag meryenda kami kaninang alas-tres," ani niya.

I knew he was just reasoning because he's still shy about receiving this kind of treatment.

"It's already dinner time, Noah. Come on, choose whatever you want," I told him but still, he didn't move a bit.

Kung hindi ko lang sya kilala, baka napikon na ako sa isang ito. Kaya imbes na makipagtalo pa sa kanya, nag tawag na kang ako ng waiter at nag simulang mag order ng para sa aming dalawa.

"We'd like to have two rib eye steaks, one rice, mashed potatoes, and two baked mac & cheese," I ordered.

"How about your drinks, ma'am?"

"I'll have a strawberry shake and a melon shake for him," I answered.

"Would that be all, ma'am?" The waiter asked.

I nodded, "Yes. That would be all."

The waiter left after repeating our orders. And the moment he left, Noah murmured, "Bakit steak. Ang mahal nun."

I waved my hand. "It's okay. Orrin's paying for it," I said.

"Nakakahiya," he said, eyes widened.

"It's okay, Noah. He won't mind," I told him but he won't just let it slide. I had to squint my eyes on him so he would shut up. "So? What's the plan for your wedding?" I turned to Orrin and Kenzie who's still arguing. They stopped when they heard me.

Happily, Kenzie started telling us, Noah and I, what ideas she and Orrin had decided for their wedding. She said I'll be the maid of honor and when they said Noad would be my partner, this guy lost it. Like, he cannot believe he'll be included in the wedding.

"Come on, dude. We're friends, right?" Orrin said and Noah just nodded, still surprised by what he heard.

"Besides, we knew that Mari would only be comfortable if you were there. I mean, her brothers will be there, too, but we surely cannot pair them with her," Kenzie explained. "But if you're the one who will be comfortable, we will respect that."

Noah shook his head immediately. "No. Uh. Okay lang. Partner naman pala kami ni Mari," he said.

Hearing that, Kenzie squealed and clapped from happiness. "It's settled, then!"

I just shook my head. We continued discussing some details about their wedding while we ate, and when we're done, Orrin suddenly cleared his throat.

I looked at him and I noticed that he's a bit uncomfortable. "What's the matter?" I asked because Kenzie acted the same when she saw Orrin's expression.

"I'm not sure if we should say this to you or if it should come from us, but we were told that Kairus and Isla are engaged, too," he said. "We… we wanted to tell you because you two were best friends."

I nodded and shrugged.

"Good for them," I said, sipping what's left on my strawberry shake, aware of how cold and emotionless my tone was saying that.